Glass substrates are used in a variety of applications such as automotive applications, architectural applications, aerospace applications, etc. Glass substrates are also used in furniture (i.e., table tops, shelving, etc.) and appliances. Depending on the end use of the glass substrate, it is desirable for the glass substrate to exhibit certain (a) aesthetic properties, such as, but not limited to, color and (b) solar control properties, such as, but not limited to, total solar energy transmittance (“TSET”), visible light transmittance (Lta), etc.
The aesthetic properties and solar control properties of a glass substrate can be modified in several of different ways. A first way involves depositing a coating on the surface of a glass substrate. A second way involves changing the chemical composition (i.e., the type of materials that make up the glass composition and/or the weight percentages of the various materials in the glass composition) that make up the glass substrate. Oftentimes, colorants and/or other materials capable of modifying the solar properties of the glass composition are added to a well known base glass composition, such as a soda-lime-silica base glass composition, to provide a glass substrate capable of exhibiting unique performance properties. Although the effect of one colorant or one material capable of modifying the solar properties of the glass composition may be known (for example, it is known that adding FeO to a base glass composition increases the infrared (IR) absorption of the glass composition), it is the essence of invention to use various colorants and/or materials capable of modifying the solar properties of the glass composition, each colorant or material capable of producing a unique effect individually, to achieve a combination of properties collectively.
According to the present invention, specific materials capable of modifying the aesthetic and/or solar properties of a glass composition are added in specific amounts to a soda-lime-silica base glass composition to provide colored glass substrates. The glass substrates of the present invention can be exhibit various colors such as, but not limited to, blue, green, yellow, bronze and gray. The glass substrates of the present invention can also exhibit an Lta of equal to or greater than 80% which is generally desirable for glass substrates used in furniture and appliances.